Are You a Watchman

“So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the House of Israel; therefore, thou shalt hear the word at my mouth,and warn them from me.” (Eze. 33:7)

The 33rd chapter of Ezekiel starts off with an analogy depicting a nation or a people on a war footing and describing that when that nation or people post a watchman or a guard, who is to sound the alarm in case of an attack for the safety of the people. If those people ignore the warning and are then smitten by their enemy, it is their own fault and their blood will be on their own heads, but the watchman or guard will be held blameless. If on the other hand the guard fails to sound the alarm, he, the guard, will be held accountable for their demise. Now when Ezekiel penned these words the Northern Kingdom of Israel had already been in captivity for over a hundred years and had at that time started their migration toward their allotted destinations in the West, (2Sam 7:10) and the Southern Kingdom was for the most part in captivity in Babylon and Jerusalem had been destroyed by the forces of the Chaldean army of Nebuchadnezzar. Thus, it stands to reason that Ezekiel, a captive himself, of the first deportation, was made a watchman over the whole House of Israel concerning the ways of His, our God, and spiritual matters.

When we read verses 8 through 16 we find that Ezekiel is told to make the people aware that if a righteous man sins, his righteousness is of no avail if he fails to repent. Likewise, if a wicked sinner turns from his wickedness and repents, that man shall be justified in his repentance and his wickedness and sins will be remembered no more. Thus, Ezekiel was commissioned to teach the people that their previous actions and deeds had no merit unless they lived in repentance. The last part of Ezekiel 33 points out that heritage and descent, whether or not from Abraham, the faithful friend of God, will not get them or us free pass. This is something that some of the Dispensationalist preachers are teaching these days in regard to the Jews, that they, the Jews of today are justified because of their heritage going way back to the Patriarchs. This is a fallacy without merit and is totally false!

This mandate to Ezekiel was given some twenty-six hundred years ago, but it is just as effective today in the twenty-first century. We still have an obligation to warn our brothers and sisters of the perilous path wherein they walk. We are still the watchman on the wall, we are still our brothers’ or sisters’ keepers! In Jer. 50:6 we read, “My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains; they have gone from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place”. In Ezekiel 34 we also find a song indictment against the shepherds of Israel, an indictment that is equally valid today, as it was in the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

In most Fundamentalist churches today, the teaching is that Law was nailed to the Cross and thus is no more valid as it was in the old days and that the church is now under grace. This is a gross fallacy and teaches the people in most mainstream churches to totally ignore God’s mandates and commandments. Subsequently, there is no teaching and instruction in the law and commandments of our God, and the prophecies, whether for good or bad, in all their extreme importance are completely ignored. The prophet Hosea wrote these words, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children”. (Hos. 3:6) This is exactly what is happening in our lands today, the churches, the preachers most of all, willingly reject the power and wisdom of the written Word of God for convenience sake, thereby dumbing down their parishioners, who for the most part never read their Bibles, but rely solely on the erroneous words of the pastors, who are leading their flock further and ever further away from the true knowledge and service to our God!

Amos told us, “Behold the days come saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord”. (Amos 8:11) That time is now! We are living in a time right now where the true word of God is all but lost to the majority of those that profess to be followers of the Lamb. Thus the time is come, that those who have been given deeper and clearer insight in the matters contained in God’s Holy Word, by the Grace of God, to step in the breech so to say, and put on the whole armor of God to withstand the fiery darts of the Adversary and awaken our Christian brothers and sisters to the errors of their way and lead them back unto the right and straight path that leads to salvation. It will not be an easy task for the pitfalls are many and that road is strewn with rocks, but we have been appointed to be God’s servants here on this planet and that mandate we ignore at our own peril. Whenever God presents an opportunity, and rest assured He will, take that opportunity and tell whomever you are confronted with, the good news of the Gospel of the Kingdom, try to make them aware of who and what they are in regards to what the Bible teaches and then after you have sown the seeds, step back and let God take care of the germination and growth of that seed.

Do not become frustrated or dismayed when the person or persons that you are talking to reject what you present to them and turn their back(s) on you, you will have done what is required of you. Remember what Jesus told His Disciples when they asked Him why He taught in parables? Only those that are selected and elected of God, will be able to hear the Word. And if they reject you and your words, shake the dust of that place off your feet and try again elsewhere. God will not leave you wordless when the time arrives, so be of good cheer, for in this endeavor you will not walk alone but the Spirit of God will be with you in the quest, so let Him guide you and you shall not fail.

Jesus told His Disciples that they would become fishers of men, and so are you and I. May the Lord strengthen and sustain you! Amen!

About The Author

Bob Vermaat’s column "A Christian Israelite View" has drawn a wide following and is often reprinted in other publications. A retired carpenter, he and his wife came to the message after reading an article in a newspaper, an article that instantly led them to the truth. That was thirty years ago and it began his mainly one on one ministry of spreading news of the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Israel Truth. He attributes his growing knowledge partly through brief associations with such scholarly pastors such as Karl Schott, Sheldon Emry, Robert Record, George Southwick and Bob Bell.
We are indeed pleased that approximately two years ago Bob agreed to become president of this Association and he has proved his teaching abilities through meetings that he chairs during Sunday services. He is also an accomplished Gospel singer and inspires those of us who are fortunate to listen. A modest man, he understands that each time he sits down to study Scripture, a new understanding comes to life and he is always astounded by what he learns.

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